Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Resume writing explained in a different way

We all know that a resume is basically a written summary of your skills, background, and experience related to a particular field – but what does the word “resume” actually stand for?

The truth is the word “resume” doesn’t actually stand for anything, but we thought it was a good idea to think of which words could best describe the process through which you can improve your resume. Read on to see what your resume is missing and what you can do to improve it.

Recognize

It’s important to first recognize the employer’s needs. Take a look at the job posting and highlight the most important parts; the job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Keywords are very important to note here. If you’re not sure which keywords are important, search for a similar job posting and see which similar words you find. Reviewing the overall job description is another way to truly understand the purpose of the position – and if you can indeed serve that purpose.

Evaluate

Compare your resume to the job posting and see what differences and similarities exist. This is a good time to reflect upon your resume keyword-wise and see what you could change to grab the employer’s attention. Think about your qualifications as a job candidate and see if you really fit the position you are applying for. As job seekers get desperate they’ll often apply to jobs they aren’t qualified for and this not only frustrates the employer who has to go through hundreds of resumes, but it also makes a job seeker’s life more difficult with yet another rejection letter to read.

Strategize

Now that you know which particular keywords are relevant within the job duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and description, it’s time to form a strategy for your resume.

Take some time to write down all the major duties and responsibilities of the last position you held. As you’re writing them down, it should now be apparent which ones are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Write down a list of your accomplishments as well (professional or academic) and again note which ones would make sense to use for this particular job posting.

This process basically tailors your resume to the specific job you’re applying for - it makes you rethink exactly what you’re putting on your resume and whether or not you could be putting something more relevant that you hadn’t thought of before.